ROYAL NAVY SUPREME

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 281, 26 October 1940, Page 7

ROYAL NAVY SUPREME

RED SEA SWEPT.

OE ITALIAN SUBMARINES

(United Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 11 a.m.) LONDON, Oct, 25 It is authoritatively believed the Royal Navy lias destroyed or captured Half-the Italian submarines in the Red Sea, through which any ships supplying the British Eorces in the Middle East from the East would pass.

Italy has been given little chance of augmenting her naval forces eastwards of Suez.

ENEMY SHIPS SUNK

BRITISH DESTROYER LOST

(British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 10.57 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 26. The Admiralty announces that the destroyer Venetia has been sunk by an enemy mine. An Admiralty communique states: "Further examples can now lie given of the continuous pressure which British naval forces maintain on coastal communications in enemy waters. His Majesty's submarine Swordfish has torpedoed and sunk a German tor-pedo-boat off the French coast, while in the Mediterranean an Italian supply ship of 6000 tons has been destroyed by His Majesty's submarine Regent."

The Swordfish cUifs of submarine, which has had numerous successes in the present war, was included in the 1929 programme and represented a return to moderate dimensions. With a displacement of between 640 and 935 tons, the Swordfish possesses six 21in torpedo tubes, all in the bows. A new type of 3in gun is now mounted. The crew number 40. Two submarines ot this type, Seahorse and Starfish, have boon lost during the war. The Venetia had a displacement of IHW tons and carried a complement of 134. Her armament consisted of four 4m guns, one 2-pounder anti-aircraft gun and five smaller guns, as well as torpedo tubes.